


Light Trails

by Hear_the_Dokidoki



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Angst, Hate to Love, M/M, hyuck needs one (1) boys attention, jaemin just wants love, jealous!jeno, mark and 00-line centric, markhyuck parenting an egg is a thing, soft Huang Renjun/Lee Jeno
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-04 11:17:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15840168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hear_the_Dokidoki/pseuds/Hear_the_Dokidoki
Summary: Everything changes when two new students join the Gryffindor dorm.





	1. Everything, Everything

“ _Everything is right_ ,” Jeno thought. 

The train compartment was as warm and bright as the British morning had been heavy with rain. Donghyuck was immersed in the telling of some anecdote Jeno had already heard twice, capturing the full attention of Jisung and Chenle. It was an impressive feat, considering that exactly 45 seconds prior, the two youngest had been at each other’s throat after Jisung had accused Chenle’s barn owl of trying to devore his kitten. 

“-then, fire **erupted** from the dragon!” Donghyuck exclaimed, gesticulating so eagerly that he practically fell off his seat. 

“What did you do??” Jisung gasped. 

Donghyuck smirked. “Well…”

Jeno looked over to Renjun, who was quietly reading, his brow faintly furrowed in concentration. 

“-and the roof was blasted into the sky!!!” Donghyuck concluded, now standing in the middle on the compartiment in a victorious stance. 

“ _No way_ ,” Jisung let out, his voice accompanied by Chenle’s hysterical laugh. 

Jeno wondered how Renjun could stay so focussed. He scooched over, feigning an interest in the other’s book. A familiar tinge of scented soap welcomed him, and Renjun glanced up, offering a small smile before returning to his novel.

Lee Jeno’s eyes turned into crescent moons. 

“ _Everything is just right_ ,” he thought again. 

 

━━⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.  
“Hyuck and the kids are leaving for the kitchen in five minutes…” Jeno said.

“I want to see the Sorting Ceremony,” Renjun replied, shaking off Jeno’s hand from his. 

“It’s the same thing every year,” the other protested. 

“In a way,” Renjun admitted. “But it’s part of why I love it.” 

A silence. 

Jeno sighed softly. “I won’t change your mind, will I?”

Renjun shook his head. He usually let himself be carried by the flow of Donghyuck and the others, but today was special. 

“Fine,” Jeno said after a moment. “I’ll go with you.”

The answer was predictable, and still, something warm rippled through Renjun as he grinned. 

 

❉・゜・。.  
As the Sorting Hat sang the last line of this year’s introductory song, Renjun felt yet another rush of nostalgia wash over him. 

“His rhymes were better last time,” Jeno commented in his ear.

Renjun shrugged. He was busy watching the First Years, their eyes shining brighter than the Hall’s starlit sky. Renjun soaked himself in their wonder, their shy smiles and their eagerness. He let his heart beat with theirs, remembering the awe that used to overtake him when faced with oddities he now often took for granted. 

“I’m hungry,” Jeno said, poking Renjun to try to get his attention. 

Renjun turned to find his friend pouting. He chuckled. 

“You’re cute,” he said. 

Jeno blinked.

“I’m glad we met,” Renjun added.

He didn’t wait for an answer, only laughed at Jeno’s ears slowly turning crimson. 

 

━━⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.  
The Hat had just called ‘Thomin, Elara’ when the doors to the Great Hall slowly opened. Two boys no one had ever seen entered. Things were already atypical, but when the boys walked to the end of the line and everyone noticed they were a head taller than the First Years, the murmurs in the Hall turned into chaotic babble. 

“Hogwarts will be welcoming two new students into Third Year!" a professor with a thick Irish accent explained. “We expect you to do your best to make them feel at home.”

In a heartbeat, ‘Lee, Mark’ was placed into Gryffindor. He walked to the table with a calm expression as the Lions cheered. As soon as he sat, the interrogation began. By the time the feast ended, all of Hogwarts would know that Mark was a year older than the rest of the Third Years and that he had come from Canada. 

As rumors began spreading, ‘Na, Jaemin’, stepped onto the stage. A minute became two, three, four... The boy had closed his eyes, stuck in an insufferable mental argument about which the rest of the school could only speculate. In the end, the Sorting Hat chose Gryffindor. Jaemin almost leaped off the stool, grinning, so radiant that all those around him found themselves smiling back. 

 

━━⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.  
“Do you think they’ll like me?” Jaemin found himself asking.

“Of course,” Mark replied. “Why would they not?”

Jaemin kept his answers to himself. 

“Don’t worry, Jaemin-ah,” Mark said, giving Jaemin’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “You’re really sweet. They’ll like you for sure.”

A cautious smile.

“Thanks, hyung.”

The thoughts of all the things Jaemin wanted laid siege to his mind. This was too important. “ _This could be everything_ ,” he told himself.

Na Jaemin had an incredibly vast heart. 

For a time, he had thought that being able to love would be enough.

He had wanted it to be enough. 

 

━━⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.  
It hadn’t been a week that Jaemin had seamlessly integrated Donghyuck’s life. Jisung was a tad overwhelmed by how much his new hyung adored him, and, for some reason, Jeno was showing resistance, but all in all, it felt like Na Jaemin was always meant to join them. As for Mark Lee… At first, Donghyuck had found him highly intriguing. Contrary to Jaemin, who appeared to have minimal control over his facial muscles, Mark was hard to read. His quietness ignited Donghyuck’s need to know about him. 

On the first day of class, Mark proved to be an excellent student. He was the first to master the Transfiguration assignment, and he answered all the teacher’s questions right. He even managed to make the potion master offer a satisfied comment about his brew. 

“Mark-hyung is impressive,” Renjun said during dinner. 

Donghyuck forced a smile. “We’re getting a lot of points.”

Renjun had gave him a knowing look.

As days passed, it got harder and harder for Donghyuck to ignore the feeling of helplessness burning inside him every time Mark would accomplish something still out of his own reach. By no means was Donghyuck falling behind, but it seemed that Mark was always half an inch ahead. 

“He’s learned all of this before,” Donghyuck tried to rationalize. “It makes no sense otherwise.”

“Actually…” Jaemin began softly. He hesitated, but when everyone stared at him with insistence, he spoke again. “Mark-hyung only started his magical training last year. He never went to Ilvermorny... He told me he had private lessons with some auror while you were in Second Year, but before that, he had never touched a wand.”

“That’s not possible,” Donghyuck said flatly. 

A pause. 

“He’s really dedicated to his studies,” Renjun interjected. “Everytime I go to the library, I see him behind a pile of books and parchments.”

Donghyuck retreated to his thoughts, and the air became heavier. 

He hated that Mark made him feel so small. 

 

━━⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.  
Mark had no idea of what he was doing. 

He sat alone in the quidditch field, looking up at the clouds. If anything, the sky was the same here. 

Mark had longed for the foreignness of Hogwarts. He had thought that it was so very different that it would transform him into someone entirely new… That the Mark who knew of magic, castles and talking portraits would be so much more than the empty child he had been back at home. Mark had always known something was missing from his life. When, one day, a magical owl had come with a letter informing him of his magical abilities, he had thought he had finally found the key to his questions. After a man appeared in the middle of his kitchen out of thin air, the doubts his family had held vanished. 

And yet...

“You can’t go,” his mother had told him in a firm voice. “It’s dangerous. In the papers…There’s been bad things done to people like them.”

“Like me, mom. I’m a wizard too.”

“Stop,” his father had said. “You have to stop saying that.”

“But it’s what I am! Even if you hate it, it's in me! _Magic is in me_.”

“Mark,” his mother had murmured ever so softly. “We don’t want you to get hurt.”

“You don’t understand!” Mark had shouted.

Magic called for him. Maybe as much as he called for it. 

Eventually, Mark had sat down with his parents. They showed him the articles about the resurgence of the Salem movement. Mark felt like throwing up. 

He had tried to let go of the possibility of everything. 

After a year of trying to forget, he knew it wouldn't work. He began negotiating. It took another year, but his parents finally agreed to let him learn magic… Under the condition that he do it far away from the trouble. 

He had traded everything he knew for the blurry idea of another life.

Mark sighed. He missed home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps I’ve reread this too many times while editing, losing all sense of appreciation for it :)))


	2. Strange Heart

“Hey,” Jaemin said.

Jeno, Renjun and Jisung looked up. They were sitting on a blanket by the common room’s fireplace, playing with the overexcited ball of fluff that was Jisung’s cat.

“Oh, hey!” Renjun replied.

A short silence.

“You can sit if you want, hyung,” Jisung offered. “She likes everyone,” he added, indicating his pet with a tilt of his head.

“Everyone except Jeno,” Renjun corrected.

Jeno mumbled something, and the two others laughed.

“I was just passing by,” Jaemin answered with a small smile.

A frown.

“Renjun, I, uh… kinda wanted to ask you something.”

Curious eyes.

“What is it?”

“I heard that you were pretty good in Defence Against the Dark Arts?”

“It’s the only class in which I beat Hyuck…..” Renjun said.

“He means that he’s the best,” Jisung explained.

Renjun repressed a grin. “Something like that.”

A hesitation.

“What do you want?” Jeno asked.

“Ah,” Jaemin uttered. “Well... Since I used to be homeschooled, I’ve never practiced defensive and offensive spells much.” An embarrassed chuckle. “I guess I’m a bit nervous? So, yeah, I was wondering if you’d be willing to be my sparring partner.”

A pause.

“Not that you have to,” he quickly added. “I don’t know, I just-”

“Sure,” Renjun said.

“...really?” Jaemin asked very softly.

Renjun shrugged. “If you think I can help, I’ll try.”

A wide grin.

 

━━⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.  
Autumn colors had started to fall, and Hogwarts was strangely tranquil. It didn’t take long for students and professors to grow inquisitive.

“Lee Donghyuck and his little friends have finally calmed down,” a prefect whispered to her friend.

“Are you sure he isn’t just preparing some sort of ginormous prank? We all remember that grand Valentine’s day extravaganza…”

”For Merlin’s sake,” the prefect breathed. “Why did you remind me of that...”

“Hah, do you remember how your hair-”

“No, I don't.”

“It was pretty memorable, I-”

“I’m sure Donghyuck is up to something,” the prefect blurted. “I’ll go investigate.”

 

❉・゜・。.  
It turned out that Donghyuck had suddenly become really invested in his studies.

“I just think school is important,” he declared one morning.

They all stared at him.

“Last year, you tried to sneak a troll into the castle to avoid a Potions exam,” Chenle said.

Donghyuck blinked. “Yes, well-”

“You wanted to bribe Renjun to do your History of Magic assignments,” Jeno interjected. “That was last week.”

“...in my defense, that class is taught by an actual ghost.”

“Hyuck,” Renjun sighed. “We all know you just want to be better than Mark-hyung.”

“...”

“...”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

❉・゜・。  
Donghyuck wished Mark would go away.

Or rather, that he’d never come in the first place.

The Care of Magical Creatures teacher was talking about some new project, but Donghyuck was too focussed on how annoying Mark’s general existence was. He watched the older boy sitting across from him, the wind blowing strands of hair in his stupid face.

“Lee Donghyuck,” the professor called. “Did you hear what I just said?”

“Of course,” Donghyuck said, his voice slightly cracking at the last word.

A pause.

The professor sighed. “Please pay attention. I was explaining how you would be working with Mr. Mark on the zwartzy assignment.”

Hyuck froze.

“As you can see, this specimen is damaged,” the professor said, holding up an egg-shaped ball of vigns. “I asked the other staffs who they thought could handle this case well, and your two names came up.”

“But, sir,” Donghyuck let out without thinking.

“Yes?”

“I…” He took a deep breath. “I just thought there were no group projects this year.”

“As you would know if you were listening to me...” the teacher said coldly. “Zwartzies are fragile creatures. Having two careful pairs of eyes on this egg is for the best.”

Donghyuck fidgeted with his wand.

“Any other question?”

The boy forced his lips into a curve. “No, sir.”

 

━━⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.  
“You’re raising a baby together??” Chenle asked between two laughs.

“Shut it,” Donghyuck hissed.

“At least, you won’t have to fight for its last name,” Jisung chimed in.

“Shut up, for fuck’s sake.”

Renjun clicked his tongue. “Careful with your language, Hyuck. As a parent, you have to take responsibility.”

Donghyuck glared at him.

“That’s true,” Jeno said. “Kids are so easy to influence. Just look at Jisung! He used to be so well behaved!”

“You talk as if you were an angel,” Renjun retorted.

“I _am_ an angel!”

Renjun summoned a thoughtful look. “I could list all the reasons why you’re wrong, but we’d be here until tomorrow.”

Jeno stuck out his tongue, to which Renjun retaliated with a push. Jeno’s attempt to regain balance resulted in a warm apple pie falling onto Jisung’s lap.

“My robe!!” Jisung exclaimed, and simultaneously, Chenle cried “The pie!!!”

It was a standard dinner at the Gryffindor table.

 

❉・゜・。.  
Jaemin wished Mark would’ve come with him.

“I have to study for Arithmancy,” Mark had said. “Sorry, Jaemin-ah.”

Jaemin really admired Mark. His elder was confident, always collected. He knew what he was doing, and he did it flawlessly.

Meanwhile, Jaemin was watching the other Gryffindors joke around. They carelessly exchanged insults, huge grins on their faces. They seemed to understand each other with half-words, sometimes even through silence, with something like the narrowing of one’s eyes.

Jaemin was sitting right by them.

He could only smile. Try to go along.

The others hadn’t seem to notice how out of place he was.

A part of him was relieved.

 

━━⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.  
It was the third time Mark was reading over the same paragraph, and he was growing irritated with himself. He had been studying for three, maybe four hours. He wasn’t sure. In the back of his mind, Mark was aware of how risible his state was. He just kept working, practicing, studying…

He didn’t mind it, but he didn’t love it either.

He wasn’t sure where he was heading, but he had to keep going. What else could he do?

“Have you eaten yet, hyung?” a voice inquired.

Mark turned to find Na Jaemin. After taking a second to gather his thoughts, he spoke. “I’m not really hungry.”

Jaemin offered a pout. “You have to eat.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Mark replied, ruffling the other’s hair.

“You’re overworking yourself.”

Mark sighed, but he didn’t argue.

“Are you almost done?” Jaemin questioned.

A shrug. “Hopefully.”

Jaemin folded his arms on the table, putting his head against them. “Can I keep you company?”

“You’re not tired?”

The boy shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“ _You don’t look fine_ ,” Mark thought.

Jaemin was a cute kid. He was kind, cheerful, and full of warmth. Mark found that the boy was careful with his words, but that his eyes always betrayed what he truly felt. In the dim light of the Common Room, Jaemin looked exhausted.

“Are you alright?” Mark asked.

Jaemin blinked. “Yeah, of course.”

“There's nothing at all on your mind?”

Jaemin’s perpetual smile slowly faded. “Not really.”

“You know," Mark said gently. "I'm always here for you."

A long silence.

Jaemin looked away.

“Thanks, hyung,” he murmured.

 

━━⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.  
The moon shone brightly above Hogwarts castle.

Jeno knew that Renjun loved looking at the night sky, so they often went to the astronomy tower on clear nights. They’d sit, sometimes talking for hours, sometimes letting their minds wander in silence. Renjun had a habit of sinking into a horizontal position whenever it was socially acceptable. When Jeno felt a weight against his shoulder, he wasn’t surprised to find Renjun slowly curling up. Jeno brought his hand up and began stroking the other’s hair.

“What are you doing?” Renjun asked with a chuckle.

“You look like a kitten.”

“Pfft.”

When they were alone like this, Jeno _knew_ that they shared something special; that nothing nor no one could take that away from them.

He wished he could bottle up that feeling and keep it tight against his chest.

As Jeno sighed, the events from the morning flooded his mind yet again.

Na Jaemin had been struggling with a spell, and Renjun had observed him, correcting his position and encouraging him until he got it right.

“You’re the best, Injun!” Jaemin had exclaimed, hugging the other. “I love you!”

The words had sounded so airy.

In Jeno's throat, they were as heavy as lead.

He gazed at Renjun, who was trying hard not to fall asleep. The sight brought him comfort, but he couldn’t help but notice of how fragile Renjun looked.

“ _Please never leave me_ ,” Jeno thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It would mean the world if you told me how you felt about the characters ;-; I've been working really hard on them fghjk. Anyhow, I hope you're enjoying this story so far!!


	3. When the Stars Go Blue

Jaemin stood in the circular stone room that was the owlery. The cool air passing through the glassless windows made his breath swirl before him. Jaemin wasn’t sure where to start. He didn’t know who to ask. Maybe it was sign that he should leave, he thought.

The boy looked down at his enveloppe. His grip was so tight the paper was a bit crushed.

 

.❉・゜・。.  
“Isn’t that Jaemin?” Renjun asked.

Donghyuck didn’t hesitate; he ran to their friend and threw Jaemin’s arm around his neck with a cheery greeting. It took him a few seconds to notice Jaemin’s expression. There were tears standing in his eyes, and he looked so very alarmed that Donghyuck felt his own stomach twist.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“It’s nothing,” Jaemin answered quickly, already regaining composure. “Just the cold.”

“But-”

“Really.”

When Jaemin offered a smile, it felt like a plea.

“I’ll go pick up a sweater,” Jaemin said. “See you at dinner!”

 

.❉・゜・。.  
Jaemin was glad.

He liked the person he was at Hogwarts,

The sound of his own laughter.

He loved his friends; everything they were, everything they could be.

Jaemin had to protect that.

When Renjun caught up to him,

Holding him back,

Unexpected strength in his small hands,

The way Renjun looked right through him...

Jaemin felt his tears break,

And arms squeezing him tightly,

And maybe,

Just maybe,

He was truly glad.

 

.❉・゜・。.  
Extracts from Jaemin’s letter:

_It’s getting pretty cold in Scotland. [...] I’ve been making wonderful memories. [...] -and Jisung is adorable. [...] They’ve been so, so kind. [...] I hope you can forgive me. [...] I’ll be visiting as soon as I can. I’ll hold your hand and sing for you. [...] I love you with all my heart, Mom._

 

━━⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.  
Donghyuck couldn’t stop thinking about how he broke the eye contact first. He still remembered the wind against his skin as he froze, mind blank, registering Jaemin leave and Renjun doing everything a friend was supposed to do.

His own weakness dawned on him.

The first time he saw Jaemin after that, he had a hard time not watching the boy with inquiring eyes. No answer ever came. I was clear that Jaemin would not talk, but Donghyuck found it impossible to forget his friend's sorrowful eyes.

A few days passed before Renjun and Donghyuck found themselves alone.

“He didn’t say much,” Renjun declared before Hyuck had to ask.

“I should’ve come with you.”

A pause.

“You can’t be the best at everything, Hyuck.”

“That’s not why-”

“I know,” Renjun said. “But, look, right now, the best you can do for Jaemin is to treat him normally. You've been acting super weird around him.”

The stopped talking for a minute or two.

“I just... I hated seeing him like that,” Donghyuck murmured.

“That’s what scares him, I think,” Renjun said.

Donghyuck glanced up.

“He doesn’t want us to see him differently.”

Silence stretched.

“I’ll try,” a low voice replied.

 

.❉・゜・。.  
The Common Room was essentially deserted by the time Mark and Donghyuck started working on their assignment.

“I don’t think that’s right,” the younger one said.

Mark furrowed his brows. “You don’t?”

“Just a fifty centimeters isn’t enough. The zwartzy is going to overgrow that nest in a matter of weeks.”

“Hum…” Mark uttered, looking over his textbook. “You’re probably right.”

The older boy took out a new parchment. Donghyuck had won.

Somehow, it only made him more annoyed.

“I don’t like that ink colour,” he said.

Mark gave him an inquiring look.

“It’s just…” Donghyuck began. “It’s too black.”

Mark let out a small sigh. “I think I still have blue in my trunk. I can go get it.”

A pause.

“Why in Godric’s name are you like this?” Hyuck spat.

“What?” Mark answered, taken aback.

“You don’t even care!”

“Uh… If you want my opinion about ink-”

“How are you so stupid,” Donghyuck said, anger mixed with confoundedness.

A few loud heartbeats.

“You’ve had a long day, Donghyuck,” Mark said quietly. “Maybe you should go to bed.”

Donghyuck’s jaw was set. Mark wasn’t even looking at him. Donghyuck wanted to scream, to do something, anything - to punch a fucking reaction out of that idiot. Lips in a thin line, he glared at Mark, but the other simply got back to work. Slowly, Donghyuck’s shoulders slumped, and in the end, he walked away.

“Goodnight,” he heard faintly as he closed the door behind him.

 

.❉・゜・。.  
Lee Donghyuck was the sun. A shining, blazing star. A natural center of gravitation. Donghyuck’s existence was an eclipse, an event; something stubbornly memorable.

He had always been able to cast light and shadows wherever he wanted. People liked him, admired him, despised him; they found him entertaining or annoying, remarkable or obnoxious.

No one could be indifferent to the sun.

No one was supposed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. This chapter was supposed to be longer, but I'm kind of having a hard time writing the next part. A bit of encouragement would be most welcomed ;-; Any thoughts to share, maybe?


End file.
